The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of plum tree, Prunus Salicina, which will hereinafter be denominated varietally as the xe2x80x98Sunlite Nuggetxe2x80x99 plum tree, and, more particularly, to a plum tree which produces early maturing fruit, which are mature for commercial harvesting and shipment approximately May 17 to May 24 in the San Joaquin Valley of central California, producing generally large, high quality fruit, having green skin coloration.
The discovery and development of new varieties of fruit, and particularly tree fruit, is an assiduous task requiring great effort, substantial botanical knowledge, an equivalent knowledge of the marketplace, a considerable amount of good fortune, and time testing. From the point of view of the marketplace, the maturation period and fruit characteristics are frequently all important. Similarly, such criteria as flavor, size, color and shipability are of significant importance, as well as a multitude of other factors bear upon the success of any new variety. Therefore, the new variety was selected for asexual reproduction and commercialization.
The new variety of the instant invention is a plum tree characterized by its bearing of fruit of early maturation, of comparatively large size, of high quality, of shipability and of productivity, both for local usage, as well as packing and shipment to distant markets. The fruit of the new variety has been stored for twenty-one (21) days at 32xc2x0 to 34xc2x0 Fahrenheit without adverse affect. The productivity of fruit per tree of the new variety has generally consisted of from 50.8 kg (112 pounds) to 63.5 kg (140 pounds) of mature fruit. In addition, the fruit of the instant variety is of a generally green coloration which has been in demand, but effectively unavailable in the marketplace. In fact, the maturation date of the new variety of the instant invention is similar to that of the xe2x80x98Red Beautxe2x80x99 plum tree (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 2,539), but the fruit of which is of a generally green coloration, rather than a red coloration. The new and distinct variety is broadly characterized by a medium size, medium vigorous, hardy, productive, and regular beaing tree, which requires a pollinator such as the xe2x80x98Santa Rosaxe2x80x99 plum tree (unpatented). During the 2001 growing season, measurements were taken from the nineteen year old original tree of the new variety. The tree had a height of 5.18 m (17 feet) which included 1.83 m (6 feet) of new growth and a spread of 3.66 m (12 feet).
Therefore, the xe2x80x98Sunlite Nuggetxe2x80x99 plum tree of the instant invention is believed to be a promising candidate to meet a need in the marketplace which has long been recognized.
The present variety of plum tree hereof was selected by the inventor in his orchard near Del Rey, in Fresno County, in the San Joaquin Valley of California. The new variety is an open pollinated seedling of the xe2x80x98Red Beautxe2x80x99 plum tree (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 2,539). The inventor selected the newly found seedling from a test plot of approximately fifty (50) seedlings in May of 1980 near Del Rey, Calif. The new variety was asexually reproduced at the inventor""s direction by budding and whip grafting in 1982 near Parlier, in Fresno County, in the San Joaquin Valley of California. The instant Variety was propagated on Nemaguard peach (unpatented) rootstock. The test location was to confirm that the same distinctive characteristics were found in the trees of the new variety grown under other soil and farming conditions. The progeny of the new variety have been observed and evaluated since that date. The asexually reproduced trees of the new variety observed since that date have been found to be identical in all respects to the parent tree including the fruit thereof.
The xe2x80x98Sunlite Nuggetxe2x80x99 plum tree is characterized by producing early maturing, high quality, large sized fruit which have a green skin coloration and are ripe for commercial harvesting and shipment approximately May 17 to May 24 in the San Joaquin Valley of central California. The new variety of plum tree of the instant invention may be compared to the xe2x80x98Red Beautxe2x80x99 plum tree (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 2,539) with the early maturation of the fruit thereof, and including its high quality, productivity and green skin coloration.